Irritant product from the rhus plant and process of obtaining the same



Patented 0a. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES, PATENT orr cs.

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IBBITAN '1 PRODUCT FBOI THE BHUS PLANT AND PROCESS OF OBTAININd THE SAME.

' No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER MASUCCI, a citizen of the United States, residing in Norwood, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, have invented an Irritant Product from the Rhus Plant and Process of Obtaining the Same, of

which the following is awspecification.

One object ofmy invention is to provide anew and hseful product consistin of the pure irritant of vesioantprinciple o poison- ,ous s ecies of Rhus and 1t is also desired to rov1de a new and useful process for obtainmg this roduct in a pure, stable, and concentrate form. x

Theterm irritant .or vesicant princi le in poisonous species of Rhus' as here emp oyed is intended to refer to a chemical substance obtained from the leaves, stems, or roots of and R. diversiloba poisonous Rhus and is confined chiefl to the three prolific species, Rhus toxic endron L., Rhus vernix L. -(Rhus venenata D. C.) T., and G., although the same process may be applied to any species of Rhus. A v

In carrying out my invention, .I prefer to proceed as follows 5 lbs., of Rhus toxico: dendron leaves are extracted re tedly with 20,000 0. c. of purified petro eum'benzine, although other at solvents may be used, e. g. chloroform, ether, carbon tetrachloride etc. This extraction may be accomplishe by percolation or by immersing the leaves in petroleumbenzine in a closed container for of extract. The whole is .a period of at least two weeks, with frequent shaking. The petroleum benzine extract which contains the active-principle, is fi tered throu h ordinaryfilter paperand the clear but co oredextract is now treated with an'adsorbent, preferably fullers earth of a high adsorbing power,1n the proportion of about 100 grams oi the earth to one liter agitated until the. etroleum benzine becomes clear and color-' ess, after which the material is filtered through filter paper and the extract is concentrated by distilling the petroleum benzine under vacuum ume. The concentrated ured into evaporating dishes or pans an 18- allowed to evaporate spontaneously to d ess. I thismethod of procedure, I obtain a extract is then Application filed April 16,

vent to remove the adsorbent to .remove the I and evaporating the clear and. colorless bento one-tenth of its vol- 1922. Serial No. ceases.

product is a fatty or waxy material poss'essin a definite melting point, a saponification va ue, and an iodine value and having the irritant or ve'sicant properties charactersistic ofipoisonous species of Rhus. Long exposure to air and sunlight causes the above product to become oxidized with a corresponding change in color and loss'of irritant or vesicant properties. The fat or wax is insoluble in alcohol, but soluble in ether, benzine, tone and other fatsolvents. It is also soluble in'warm cottonseed oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil, and other vegetable fixed oils and I have discovered that an oily of said product may be used therapeutically.

It is, to be understood that in usi the term the Rhus plant, I refer to and esire to include any and all parts of the plant growth comprised by the leaves, stem or roots of anyof the varieties of poisonous Rhus. I Y

I claim:

1. The process which consists in preparing .a fluid extract of, Rhus leaves,'stems, or

roots; treatingsaid extract with an adsorbnon-active bodies; and eva crating the clear and colorless extract 2. e process-which consists in preparing a petroleum benzine extract of Rhus leaves, stems, or roots','treating said extract with an non-active bodies;

zine extractto dryness. v

3. The process which consists in reparing a' petroleum benzine extract *0 Rhus leaves,stems, or roots; treating said extract with fullers earth to remove the non-active bodies; and evaporat' the clear and,colorless benzine extract to ness.

4. The process which moving the non-active matter; and evaporatingthe extract to dryness carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, aceconsists in macerat ingthe Rhus plantinpetroleum benzine; sop-- d arating the soluble matter by filtration; re-

solution 1 lution in a fixed vegetable oil of the irritant from tannins, chlorophyll carbohydrates, or vesicant princi 1e of the Rhus plant, havresins or resinous materia and inorganic ing the physiological and therapeutic charsalts, said compound having the physiologil0 acteristics of said plant. cal and therapeutic characteristlcs of said 6. As a new article of manufacture a sOluplant in substantially stable and concen-- tion in a fixed vegetable oil of the irritant 0r trated form.

vesicant principle of the Rhus plant free 7 PETER MASUCCI. 

